Twice Surprised
by The Crafty Cracker
Summary: Two mysterious children suddenly appear in Magnolia claiming that they were the offspring of 2 S-class mages. They had a month to stay and be protected by the guild or else cease to exist altogether. Now, it was up to two unwilling mages to babysit them and pretend to be a family for the sake of a son and a daughter they never even knew they had. Or will have?
1. Chapter 1

**So I'm finally starting to juice my own brain and bringing out my ideas for a Laxus x Mirajane fan fiction. They're actually my favorite crack couple ever since the Battle of Fairy Tail. Freed x Mira is the obvious option there, and I've also shipped them for a while thinking that they might be canon. But seeing Freed's obsession with Laxus and Mira's lack of substantive contact with him after that, there's no telling where they're going. On the other hand, chapter 358 gave me the chills. With the other panel showing Elfman swearing revenge for Evergreen, the other panel features Mirajane swearing to protect Laxus. I almost died and went to heaven.**

**So here's my FT fanfiction featuring my new OTP. Hope you like it!**

_**Full Summary: **__Two mysterious children suddenly appear in Magnolia claiming that they were the offspring of 2 S-class mages. They had a month to stay and be protected by the guild or else cease to exist altogether. Now, it was up to two unwilling mages to babysit them and pretend to be a family for the sake of a son and a daughter they never even knew they had. Or will have?_

**Twice Surprised**

_**Laxus Dreyar x Mirajane Strauss**_

Chapter 1

When Angels Fall

There were certain moments in one's odd life where you just want to crawl under a rock and die.

That is, if no one was chasing after you and trying to kill you already.

Think of a time the crazy dregs of a vengeful dark guild is chasing after you and your twin just so that they could get hold of your unique and powerful gifts. Think of a time that said crazy dark guild is currently being obliterated by your equally powerful and gifted parents. You watch as your father toasts his enemies with a roar of lightning while your mother hurls a black energy ball to a building, crushing yelling wizards in its fall.

They really didn't know the meaning of restraint.

As it is, the author cannot tell you what year it currently was. If she had to give a year, then she had to do some research as to the present timeline of the manga that she is too lazy to look up about and too stupid to remember. All that she could tell you is that she trusts that you guys know the current year the Fairy Tail story is at and trusts your mathematical skills of adding 12 years to that said present year.

Now that you've remembered and added, then let's go back to the story.

The people running away or fighting a band of miscreants are a family of mages. The parents were busily fending off an entire army of magic-users while their son and daughter run for their lives.

The children's names were Niklaus and Ellieanna Dreyar, twins of Laxus Dreyar and Mirajane Strauss-Dreyar. They are the children of the 7th Master of Fairy Tail, Fiore's strongest guild, and his wife. They inherited their parents' daunting magic along with the fact that they have a considerable amount of fortune. Because of those two factors, they were often the target of mercenaries and dark guilds. Now was the tightest corner they have ever been in.

"NIK! ELLIE! Follow me!" their mother shouted over the ruckus that they were fleeing from. The two children obediently ran to the back of their home. There was a place where they often played and practiced their magic. Now, all that was there was a young woman with midnight blue hair and white eyes.

"Please, Rui-san," Mirajane pleaded. "Take them somewhere safe."

"What? Where are we going, mom?" Nik asked.

"Are we doing to be separated?" Ellie added with anxiety.

"For a while," Mira said, panting heavily. The children could see that their mother was exhausted. "You know what Rui-san's powers are, right? She's going to take you somewhere safe. These people who are following us are trying to take you and Rui-san for something terrible. When you go to that place we're sending you off to, find your great-grandpa Makarov, you understand?"

The two children nodded, finally understanding the gravity of the entire situation. Their parents were often able to defeat the people who wanted to take advantage of them, but this time, there must be something different and more dangerous if these two S-class mages resorted to _that. _They now had to be sent _there _and ask their great-grandfather for help.

"Take this with you and show it to him," Mira took out a letter and tucked it safely within Niklaus' robes. "He'll know what to do."

"Mom," Ellie said, hugging her mother tightly. "Are you and Dad gonna be fine?"

"Of course we are, sweetie," Trust us," Mira said. "We just have to split up for now so that we can finally end all of this trouble."

The door opened with a slight bang and in walked Laxus, breathing heavily. "I've finished them off. But a third wave is still on its way. This time, Minerva is with them."

"Tartaros?!" Niklaus gasped. He was always a sharp kid. "They're the ones after us this time?"

"Yes, son," Laxus replied. "That's why we have to send you away temporarily. You take care of your sister."

Ellie pouted at her father. "I can take care of myself!"

Laxus chuckled. Contrary to what people believed, Ellieanna Dreyar took more after her father than her mother.

"Then look after each other. If anything goes wrong, you're allowed to use your powers to the highest extent," Laxus declared, visibly delighting the two children. They weren't allowed to use their magic that much. "Go overboard if you have to. That's our style, anyway."

Nik and Ellie exchanged grins and nodded.

"Be brave, kids," Laxus added, embracing his twins along with Mirajane, who sniffled quietly. "And follow everything ji-ji tells you to do. You'll be safe there."

"We love you," Mira added, planting a kiss on their foreheads.

"We love you too," the two said in unison, their eyes bright with unshed tears.

"The preparations are done," Rui said. "You two have one month."

Nik and Ellie held hands as Rui raised hers and started mumbling in an unintelligible language. A few moments later, a magic circle appeared from under and above them, along with a flash of blinding light. A slight burning sensation overwhelmed them, then a sudden pull.

They were gone.

"Thank you Rui," Mira said with a sad smile.

A loud bang was heard from above.

"Time to go," Laxus said.

* * *

"I already told you," Gray Fullbuster was saying, frowning deeply. "I don't like you that way. I'm sorting it out and clearing things once and for all."

The entire guild laughed at that. Juvia Loxar was begging a more than annoyed Gray to go out on a date with her but the ice mage refused. They were at the bar with a bickering Natsu and Lucy, a silent Gajeel, a reading Levy, and an attentive Mirajane. At the moment, the usually rambunctious guild has its attention on Gray and Juvia.

"Okay, Gray-sama."

The response was flat and quick. There were no swooning or any additional comments. Juvia took one last look at Gray and departed.

"Oi, oi," Natsu said. "I think you hurt her for real this time, stripper."

Gray was shocked at that but quickly responded, "I need to be harsh. She's not getting it. We should just stay friends."

"That's boring, Gray," a drunk Cana rumbled, appearing from behind them. "But in a way, you're right. Natsu's right too."

Natsu scratched the back of his head at what Cana said.

"At the very least, you've told her how you really feel," Mira added.

"Be glad that I'm not in the mood to beat you up, ice boy. I hate seeing Juvia like that," Gajeel said. It was clear that it was Levy who was restraining him, not boredom.

"Calm down, minna," Mira said in a pacifying manner.

"How about you, Mira-san?" Lucy piped in. "How are you gonna react if someone confesses that they like you?"

Levy laughed. "Mira-san probably is an expert with that. Almost every guy likes her."

Cana hiccupped. "True. But Mira here never had a boyfriend."

Lucy's eyes almost popped out its sockets. "Nani?! B-but… How come?!"

Mira nodded, but her smile was still the same as it always was. "I just haven't found the one."

Cana smirked. "Really, Mira? You haven't found him yet?"

The white-haired woman merely ignored Cana and handed out Gajeel's beer. Lucy noticed that it seemed that Mira was hiding something.

"You mean to say you're in love, Mira?" Gray asked, taking the question out of Lucy's mouth.

Mirajane was barely able to contain her blush with the sudden question. It seemed that she herself didn't expect Gray to be the one to ask that question.

"I don't really care anyway," Gray added, lounging in his stool. "Falling in love is a pain."

"So you say now," Cana said. "And when you've found your match, you'll go chasing after her. Too bad it wasn't Juvia."

"You really rooted for her, huh?" Mira said kindly, apparently grateful at the sudden diversion of the conversation's track.

"Yes," Cana and Lucy chorused. Levy nodded in agreement. Natsu merely ignored them and talked to Happy. Gajeel clucked his tongue in annoyance.

"If I had a choice, it wouldn't be stripper boy here," Gajeel grumbled. "But Juvia has the say in these matters."

Levy smiled proudly at Gajeel. Lucy caught her eye and winked at her, causing the smaller woman to blush uncontrollably.

"Anyway, back to Mira-san," Lucy declared enthusiastically, not trying to let the mage get away from being on the hot seat. "Who's the lucky guy?"

All eyes and ears were on the eldest Strauss. She expelled a grateful breath that Elfman was not here. He was on a mission with Evergreen, which was quite a surprise but not totally unexpected.

"I-I've been in love," Mira said, obviously flustered. It was unusual seeing Mira this way and everyone was suddenly curious why Fairy Tail's resident matchmaker was still single herself. It was a complete mystery if she even took any interest in the members of the opposite sex.

"Who?!" Levy and Lucy insisted. Gray merely sighed and tried to calm the two down.

"I can't really say," Mira said while Cana giggled. It was obvious that Gildarts' daughter knew who Mira's love interest was. She was probably the only one who knew and she would probably die with the knowledge. Even while she was drunk, Cana was never one to have a loose tongue.

"That's unfair, Mira-san," Lucy said, pouting. She was the one who was often at the receiving end of Mira's matchmaking and it was highly unfair that the woman was keeping her own love life a secret.

"Let's leave her alone, guys," Cana teased. "She'll tell you when – "

The doors of the guild suddenly opened and the mages who were present in the hall chattered loudly at the new arrival.

"Wow! Is that Laxus?" one of the new members said loudly.

"Yes," another responded.

"He looks handsome, ne?" a woman said to her companion, who laughed.

"Definitely sexy. Look at those muscles."

"Isn't he the Master's grandson?"

"Yes. He's a Lightning Dragon Slayer."

"Most powerful in the guild, he is. That is, next to the Master and Gildarts, but somehow, Gildarts is never around. He just came back from one of those decade-long missions."

"But how long has he been gone?"

"You mean for 10 years he's gone?"

"No. He's just been gone for two months. I guess he finished that decade-long mission in just two months."

"Doesn't he have a guard with him?"

"Yeah, the Raijinshuu. But Freed and Bixlow are on a separate mission together. Evergreen is also with Elfman on another job."

Laxus walked in, ignoring the buzz surrounding him. He was wearing a black shirt over a gray coat lined with fur. As usual, he was wearing the sound pods in his ear, drowning out the people around him with rock music.

"Fight me, Laxus!" was what Natsu yelled as he aimed a kick at the S-class mage's face.

Lucy ignored Natsu as his face was planted on the ground by Laxus' kick. Her attention was on Cana, who was giggling silently and looking oddly at Mira then to Laxus.

_Nani?! Don't tell me…_

"Hey Laxus," Cana said, taking a gulp from her mug. "Mission a success?"

"Yep," Laxus replied nonchalantly as Natsu groaned from the ground behind him.

"Welcome home, Laxus," Mirajane said from behind the bar. Lucy, not one to miss a thing, studied the interaction carefully. It seemed that Mira was really good at hiding whatever it was she was supposed to hide around Laxus. The blonde dragon slayer merely nodded his acknowledgement towards the beautiful female, making it clear towards Lucy that Laxus didn't bear any special feelings towards Mira.

_How frustrating!_

Laxus didn't really show any interest in females in a romantic fashion. Back when he was still lost in his ways, he would hit on Lucy and the other girls, but mostly in a perverted fashion which was obviously inherited from the guild's very own Master. But he wasn't attached to anyone at all. Anyone that they knew, that is.

"Was the mission hard?" Gray inquired.

"If it weren't for the governor's daughter, it would have been easier," Laxus grumbled.

"Why? What happened?" Gajeel asked.

"She… uh…" Laxus started to say, groping around for words. "Let's say she's not really that willing to be escorted safely."

"So she has the hots for you? Came on to you while you slept?" Gajeel asked with his signature snicker. Levy smacked Gajeel's arm as the girls blushed. Well, except Cana of course. Mira had her back turned towards them as she wiped some of the glasses so they couldn't really see what her reaction was.

"Do you know where ji-ji is?" Laxus asked, diverting the conversation. "I have to talk to him."

"He's in his office," Mira replied.

"Thanks," Laxus replied and left.

"So the difficult thing about a decade-long mission is preventing a girl from sexually harassing you?" Gray said with a chuckle.

"What was the mission anyway?" Lucy asked.

"Some governor is giving his daughters away for marriage," Gajeel told them. "But it seems that the area surrounding their mansion is cursed and haunted by a demon that also has the hots for the daughters. No one's ever left that place for ten years. I don't know how they even lived if they couldn't get out for ten years."

"The demon must be pretty strong," Cana said. "It took Laxus longer than usual to dispatch of it."

Lucy shook her head in dismay. Count on Fairy Tail to expect more out of one of its strongest in a mission that no one has accomplished in ten years.

"Let's just be glad that Laxus came back safely," Mira said, which earned her another teasing look from Cana that no one, except Lucy, noticed.

* * *

Juvia walked out of the guild and proceeded to walk back to Fairy Hills. She needed to take some time off for herself. Having devoted most of it and her energies towards pleasing Gray or getting noticed by Gray in any way possible, she decided that it was time to sort out things for herself.

"_I don't know what you're talking about," she heard Gray say towards Lucy the other day in the guild. "It's not like there's any reason for her to love me. It's just like what Erza told me during the Grand Magic Games, sometimes you have to clarify some things in order for the dust to be settled. There's nothing more that I could do. If there's something, then I'll let her know. If that's what's to be done, then I will do it. If that's what needs to be said, then I'll say it again. I won't do it any other way. There's nothing more between us and she should know it and I should say it."_

_Juvia is getting battered, _she thought to herself. She was about to go up the slopes when a flash of light temporarily startled and blinded her.

In front of her appeared two children. One was a boy wearing black robes with a white interior along with red linings. He had a wide-brimmed hat similar to that memory-make wizard that Gray fought, except that it was black. He was a rather cute, good-looking boy, around 10-12, with silver-white hair and sharp teal eyes. The shape of his face and the over-all proud bearing reminded Juvia of someone from the guild.

The other child with him was a girl, around the same age. She was wearing opposite color patterns, with white robes and a black interior dress with the same red linings. Her appearance had a certain similarity towards Mavis Vermillion, Fairy Tail's first Master. She had blonde hair that fell in waves to the back of her knees. She had the same hue of ocean blue eyes as Mira.

What caught Juvia's attention, however, was not just the way the two suddenly appeared out of thin air and their looks. It was the fact that they bore the Fairy Tail insignia on their chest, peeking out of the collar of their robes. They were both tattooed in black.

"Aunt Juvia?"

Juvia's eyes widened. _Aunt Juvia?!_

The boy elbowed the girl who called Juvia's name in a not-so-subtle way. He gave his companion a quelling look which the girl returned along with a tongue stuck out.

"Who are you?" Juvia asked after regaining composure and assuming a battle stance. "Why did you call Juvia that way? Tell me the truth, or you shall not get out of this place alive."

The boy sighed as if resigning himself to a fate that he didn't really want to experience. "I guess we don't have a choice," he mumbled. "Take us to Master Makarov and we'll tell you."

Juvia's eyes roamed between the two cautiously. Her instincts told her that these children were not harmful. In fact, they seem to exude a friendly, almost familiar, manner. Aside from that, she sensed an odd magical aura from them.

"Alright," she agreed. "Juvia will take you to the Master to be judged. If you try to do anything suspicious, Juvia will not go lightly on you just because you're children."

"That's to be expected," the girl replied, smirking slightly.

Juvia did not return the comment. There was really something eerily recognizable about these two children.

"Make sure no one sees us aside from the Master," the boy said with authority. "We carry a very important and secret message."

Juvia nodded in understanding and led the two children to the back of the guild with a secret cellar for meetings. Only S-class mages and the Master were allowed inside. Most of the time, Mirajane and Makarov were the ones inside, discussing the guild's internal affairs.

"Wait here," Juvia said. "Juvia is going to talk to the Master first. Do not try anything while Juvia is gone. She will know."

The boy nodded while the girl replied with a bubbly 'yes'.

The rain woman walked directly towards the Master's office and knocked.

"Enter," the Master said.

Inside was Makarov Dreyar, seated behind his desk that was especially elevated for his height. He apparently was in the middle of a conversation with his grandson, Laxus. For some reason, Laxus intimidated her far more than the Master himself even though she worked with him in the Grand Magic Games.

"Juvia," Makarov said in acknowledgment. "What is it?"

"A-anou," Juvia started to say with uncertainty. "I was hoping if I could talk to Makarov-sama alone. If that's alright, Laxus-san."

Laxus waved his hand dismissively. "Sure. Talk to you later, ji-ji."

Makarov nodded as Laxus left and closed the door.

"What is it?"

"Juvia has brought tow messengers with her who wish to speak with you. They are made to wait in the back cellar. They say it is important. Juvia will not attempt to bother Master if she judged incorrectly."

Makarov's lips were pursed. "Alright," he said. "Take me to them."

Juvia led Makarov to the cellar. As they walked, the great wizard asked, "Where did you meet them?"

"They appeared out of nowhere near Fairy Hills. They came in a flash of light. One of them called Juvia, 'Aunt Juvia' but Juvia doesn't recall having any relatives of their appearance. And by the manner in which the boy corrected his companion, Juvia assessed that they were mistaken but are still hiding something."

"I see. What else did you notice?"

"They have the Fairy Tail mark just below their neck. Is it possible to have the guild symbol marked on someone even though they're not a member of the guild?"

Makarov frowned. "It's not unheard of. Some fans of the guild have tattoos, but it's often discouraged because some dark guilds ambush members of legal guilds. And there are ways to see if the marks are genuine."

"I see."

The Master turned to her. "If you have somewhere else to go, you may."

"I will not leave Master alone. If anything happens, Juvia will be there."

Makarov smiled. "Thank you, Juvia."

He opened the door and gaped at the sight before him.

It seemed that the boy was in the middle of hurling a lightning-charged fist towards the girl, who, on the other hand, was in the middle of transforming into something else entirely. It was apparent by the yellow and the dark violet magic circle below their feet. The magic itself looked familiar.

Makarov slammed the door shut after Juvia entered and said, "Lightning Dragon Slayer Magic and Take-Over Magic. Who are you kids?!"

The two instantly reverted back to their old selves, each glaring at the other. The boy straightened his robes like the mature person that he was when Juvia talked to him earlier. He reached inside his robes and handed a letter towards Master Makarov.

The old man eyed the boy sharply while he opened the envelope. As he opened the letter, two photographs fell from within it.

And inside was a picture of two very familiar S-class mages, each holding a bundle that seemed to be a baby. What was more surprising was that Makarov was also in the picture, grinning from ear to ear.

Makarov and Juvia both gasped as the Master picked up the photos. The other image was of the two children at the age that they were in now, playing merrily with the same mages that they saw in the picture, with the exception of the Master.

"W-who…?" Makarov asked, barely able to form a coherent sentence.

"My name is Niklaus Dreyar," the boy said, gesturing to himself. The girl beside him could barely suppress her excited grin, tears shimmering at the sides of her eyes. It seemed that she was being reunited with someone that she knew. "And this is my twin sister, Ellieanna Dreyar."

"D-Dreyar…?" Juvia repeated, looking once more at the photos.

The two S-class mages who were in the photograph with the children were Laxus Dreyar and Mirajane Strauss.

* * *

Laxus was enjoying a shot of whiskey by his lonesome when Juvia suddenly approached him. The woman ignored the shocked stares given to her by the other members of the guild. No one really approached Laxus with the exception of the Rajinshuu and those who were brave enough, or stupid, in Natsu's case. Cana was openly laughing and pointing at Juvia as she smacked a flabbergasted Gray upside the head. Natsu, who was beside Gray, dropped the drink that he was holding and was now challenging the Ice-make mage to a battle royale.

"What is it?" Laxus asked, ignoring the ruckus going on around him.

"Master asked to see you," Juvia said.

"Why?"

"Juvia cannot say."

"Alright."

He got up lazily and followed the woman to the other end of the guild when she suddenly stopped and turned towards him, "You go on ahead, Laxus-san. Juvia still needs to talk to someone else. Please wait at the door of the back cellar, if you may."

Laxus nodded and went to his grandfather.

Juvia, meanwhile, went towards the bar. She approached Mirajane, not noticing that Gray called out to her. "Mira-san, may Juvia speak with you in private?"

"Yes, of course, Juvia," Mira replied gently, smiling. She followed the Water mage.

"Master wants to see Mira-san," Juvia softly said. "Juvia is asked to escort you."

"Really? Sure. Lead the way then."

The two women walked towards the back cellar. Near the closed door, Laxus was waiting, eyeing the two of them sharply. "What's this about?" he asked.

Juvia did not reply and opened the door.

Inside was Makarov, who was hugging two children who were unknown to them. He seemed to be crying uncontrollably. The boy was getting more and more awkward by the looks of things and the girl was hugging the old man back with the same fervor.

"Did you have a mistress, ji-ji?" Laxus said in amusement. "Had other grandchildren that you failed to discuss with me? Don't worry, I won't be mad. What I don't get is why Mira and Juvia are here too."

The three people inside the room turned and saw that Juvia had returned with Laxus and Mira.

The boy and the girl both looked at them, their eyes wide. Then, out of nowhere, they grinned broadly and jumped towards the two S-class mages.

"MUM! DAD!" the two exclaimed in unison.

"Wait… what?!" Laxus shouted.

"Be quiet, Laxus!" Makarov scolded him. Mira was looking at two children, flabbergasted.

"You and Mira have a mission," Makarov added after a few seconds. "Juvia is part of this mission and she will serve as back-up and guard."

"What is the mission, Master?" Juvia asked on behalf of the two mages who were unable to utter another word.

"You will protect these children during the duration of their stay here in Fiore," Makarov answered. "Laxus, Mirajane, it's an undercover mission wherein you will pose as an ordinary family in the countryside. A house has been provided for you, along with the necessary spells for protection. It's one of Fairy Tail's many safehouses."

"Wait, wait!" Laxus nearly bellowed. "What the hell is going on?! I just came back from a decade-long mission! I deserve a break, ji-ji? Didn't I tell you I was going on vacation? And who are these brats?! Why do I suddenly have to babysit them?!"

"It's a very important mission," Makarov declared. "It's worth more than a century-long mission, Laxus, and we both know how much you wanted to do quests like that."

The lightning mage was silenced and it seemed that he was heavily considering it.

"These children are being pursued by members of Tartaros," Makarov explained. "They're wanted for their powers. As such, I have decided to mark them as members of Fairy Tail and put them under the guild's protection. But, they can't be treated as legitimate members because no one should know of their existence. It was Juvia who brought them here. The reward is enough to cover all of Fairy Tail's debts for all the damage you kids cause whenever you're on missions."

_The part about the reward and them being fake members are a ruse, _Juvia thought. It was clear that the Master had no intention of letting his grandson and Mirajane know that they will be married in the future and have these two extremely powerful children.

_I wonder what Juvia and Gray-sama's children will look like? Do Niklaus-kun and Ellieanna-chan know if I'll be married to - ? NO! Bad Juvia! No thinking that way!_

The Water mage was so immersed in her thoughts that she didn't hear Mirajane ask, "So we're going to pretend to be the children's mother and father?"

Makarov nodded. At the same time, Laxus and Mirajane looked at each other, unable to hide the blushes covering their cheeks. The old man laughed, "Come now, you two are both mature enough for this task. It's not like you're really dating."

"It's not that!" Laxus growled. _It's just that pretending to be married to Mirajane and actually living with her is not really making me feel comfy._

Not to mention that the children actually looked like them. It wasn't the type of resemblance that was accidental. They both looked like a combination of him and Mirajane. The boy had the same features that he had when he was younger, except for the white hair. They could pass it off as him inheriting the hair color from Mirajane, his 'mother'. He had the same eye shape and color as Laxus. The girl was the spitting version of Mirajane. She had the same round face, and sapphire eyes. The only thing that was exceptional was the blonde hair that was the same shade that Laxus had.

It seemed that Mira also noticed this as she said, "We _could _pass off as a family."

The kids seemed to get the sudden turn of events. They suddenly suppressed themselves from their initial outburst and were silent as the shadow. The girl, however, seemed like she was about to protest at any moment.

"What are your names?" Mira gently inquired.

The two children seemed to be taken aback for an instant. They seem hesitant to answer. The boy looked at Makarov questioningly. He gave him an almost imperceptible nod.

"I'm Niklaus," he replied.

"And I'm Ellieanna," the girl introduced herself, following her brother's lead.

"You can call us Nik and Ellie," the girl added.

"So, a guild is after you because of your magic?" Laxus stated. "What _is _your magic anyway?"

"Well, we have dual – " Ellie started to say, but Nik cut her off by flicking her forehead with his finger.

"NIK, YARO!" she bellowed, startling all of the people in her room with her foul mouth. The walls of the cellar started to shake as a huge magical aura started to envelop the girl.

"You wanna go, huh?" Nik snorted, his body starting to crackle in a way that was all too familiar to Laxus. But before the two could start an all-out brawl, Makarov stepped in between them.

"All in good time, kids," Makarov said, chuckling slightly. Juvia could see the pride shining in their master's eyes. It seemed that the children inherited the spirit of Fairy Tail alright. Ellieanna, even with her seemingly sweet demeanor, had an inner fire within her that made her initiate fights. It was a deadly combination of Mirajane's sweet exterior and Laxus' volatile temperament. In contrast, Niklaus had the arrogant, authoritative manner of a younger Mirajane. But then he manifested that unwilling kindness that Laxus also had, as if shy to let the world know that he was really a softie. It was obvious by the way he would restrain Ellie for her protection.

"Kids," Mirajane was starting to say, as if trying to pacify the two. She both placed a hand on each of the kids' shoulders, immediately calming the two of them.

Nik bit his lower lip. _Mom… we can't tell you who we are. At least, I don't think we're allowed to._

_It'll mess everything up, great-grandpa said, _Ellie thought.

_These children… and their magic, _Mira thought. It was clear to her what the girl's magic was. Take-Over Magic. And it seemed that it was also Satan Soul, from the dark aura and the color and pattern of the Magic Circle. And the boy had Lightning magic, that much was sure from the way his aura moved about his body. But she wasn't sure if it was Dragon Slayer magic.

From the way Laxus looked at the kids, it was clear that he had the same observation. Mira looked at her and they exchanged stares for a while.

"What about Juvia?" Mira then asked, breaking away from Laxus' intense glare. "What role will she play in this?"

"She'll be living at a separate residence, but still near where you are," Makarov said. "This will be a month-long mission and no one else should know about this, not even the other members."

"When will we leave?" Laxus inquired.

"Tonight."

* * *

**Too short for the first chapter, I reckon. But that's it for now. Hope you enjoy it! Leave a review please! :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you for the positive reception of this story! I hope you also read my other ones and leave a review. **

**MiraXus is such an adorable couple. I just realized that they're now my anime OTP and I can't even justify it in a canon way. You know, I just have a gut feeling that it could happen but then it's also alright if they don't end up together. LOL. **_**Please Mashima-sensei, **_**you're one of the most brilliant manga-ka when it comes to pairing people up! I mean, NaLu (and the possibility with Lisanna), GrUvia, ElfEver, etc. I mean… c'mon! :D You've been dropping hints of MiraXus! :D (I can't stop grinning.)**

**So, I'm just gonna start writing and I'd put up a disclaimer that I don't own FT and I'm not Hiro Mashima but then again, he's a writer/artist after my own heart! **

**R&R!**

Chapter 2

A Trip to Paradise

Laxus Dreyar was currently surveying his house. He had one suitcase packed but it was humongous, the type that only a man of his size could carry. This was a month-long mission and they had to pretend to be a family, which meant that he wasn't allowed to spend too much money on personal belongings and had to bring what he already had.

_What the fuck is going on exactly?_

He didn't know what to think about this mission. It seemed that the client was going to pay them a lot of money if it was going to cover all the damage the guild has caused. Even he couldn't measure the accumulated debts. He actually pitied his grandfather for facing all the complaints and the trouble. This was also one of the reasons why he suddenly doubted his desire of being guild master.

After his exile, all of his ambitions just flew out of the window. He was a blank sheet – not quite knowing who he was and what he stood up for. When he was younger, he was always Makarov Dreyar's son. He was someone that everybody was expecting a lot of things from. When he was a teenager and his father got banished from the guild, he became Ivan Dreyar's son – someone hell-bent on revenge and restoring his father's good name. He was angry at his grandfather for not valuing the bonds of blood, not really understanding how a guild was more important than your own son.

And when he reached his early twenties, he wanted to get out from the shadows of his grandfather's and father's name and establish a name of his own. That desire still hasn't left him now but of course, back then, his means and ends were different. In the past, he wanted to become the guild master and establish Fairy Tail as the strongest guild without any hint of weaknesses. He wanted to overthrow his grandfather and prove once and for all that he was the strongest.

But before the incident in Tenroujima, he was wandering alone everywhere his feet could take him. He went to places where someone knew him. He went to place where no one knew him. Eventually, he had come to realize that he was a nobody – someone who didn't know himself without the fancy titles of being an S-rank mage of Fairy Tail or Makarov's grandson. He was the man without a mark. And when he came to Tenroujima and rescued his friends, he suddenly had an onslaught of realizations.

He was Laxus Dreyar. He was his own man. He was a Lightning Dragon Slayer. He was powerful in his own right and he was going to use that power to save and protect his friends. Fairy Tail was not just a guild but a place for people with many talents to come home to. Fairy Tail was a big, rambunctious family that cared for people who were not of the same blood. That was when he realized that their bonds were even stronger than blood because they didn't need the excuse of having the same genes to be nice to each other. They were together out of the goodness of their hearts.

That was when Laxus realized that his grandfather's will had transferred itself into his heart.

He was a changed man. Granted, he still had his arrogant streak, but he turned out to be a well-balanced version of himself. His relationship with the Raijinshuu improved drastically, causing the group to have a stronger bond with each other. They have gone through endless numbers of dangerous missions together and he has proven his love for his friends when he swallowed up a dangerous excretion by a member of Tartaros that almost cost him his life.

And that was when he heard Mirajane swear to leave the rest up to them and take it easy.

He reflected on his relationship with the demon takeover mage. There wasn't really anything between them except for the fact that out of all the mages in Fairy Tail (save for his grandfather) she was the one he disappointed and annoyed the most. He insulted her every chance he got. She was the one who tried to beg him to help them with the Phantom Lord incident in which he just threw another insult at her and the guild. He would tease her relentlessly since it seemed that she was the only one with the guts to confront him. Gildarts and Mystogan were often missing while Erza was too wrapped up in the concerns of the majority to even talk to him.

Hearing those words of comfort and assurance from Mirajane Strauss was unsettling. But then again, she was a kind soul.

This was the first time he was sent on a mission with a fellow S-rank mage. He preferred to go on tasks alone or with the Raijinshuu. Thinking about going on any job with another S-rank mage always made him feel uncomfortable. Imagining himself going out on a job with Gildarts where he would be the butt of jokes. The old man would have no inhibitions at all in insulting Laxus because he was so much more powerful and had the seniority. Then there was Mystogan, who was already gone, but whenever he thought about going alone with that big ball of silence was enough to make him want to kill himself.

Erza was a prettier option, but she was never his type. There was something about her bossy, know-it-all vibe that irked him off. He was more powerful than her but she always had the tendency to make him feel like a naïve child – the same way that she made everyone feel.

Then there was Mirajane…

He really didn't know what to expect from her. And now she was assigned with him. He always wanted to see Satan Soul up close and work with it, since it has been a long time since he had actually seen it in battle. In the past, Mira would always gloat about her abilities but Laxus only really managed to see it during her S-class promotion exams. The battle with Jenny Realight doesn't count because it wasn't really a fight.

He sighed at the visions of her trying to be all mommy-mommy to the kids and to him. And worst of all, Juvia Loxar was going to accompany them. The odd woman would have to witness him on a domestic capacity. He also insulted the ameonna before but they had been teammates in the Grand Magic Games. That's when he witnessed the crazy, love-struck schoolgirl that eclipsed all that potential which once earned her the title of S-rank mage of Phantom Lord.

His grandfather didn't give him all the details, that much he knew. He didn't know what was so important about the children that they needed two official S-rank mages and one potential S-rank candidate to guard them. As far as he knew, Juvia won't really be living with them but would have a separate residence on the outskirts of their little cottage as their preliminary protection against any outside forces.

Laxus was never one to ask, choosing to figure it out on his own. He wasn't a big dumb ball of muscles. He was actually very smart, which was something that everyone easily overlooked.

The departing party was going to meet up at the train station. It seemed that the two children were staying with his grandfather at the moment. As agreed, no one knew of their existence except those involved with the mission. Juvia wasn't really that much of a talker whenever Gray wasn't involved. Mirajane was the soul of discretion. No one would ever dare to ask him about his business except for the Raijinshuu and the three were on different jobs.

He looked at the clock at his bedside. 9:00 AM.

Time to go.

* * *

Mirajane Strauss was currently trying to leave a list of things to do for her younger sister Lisanna.

Elfman was away and on a mission with Evergreen, leaving their youngest sibling alone. Lisanna wasn't an incompetent, nor was she irresponsible. But after the incident of almost losing her, Mirajane wasn't someone who would take a chance and let Lisanna fend for herself without some extra assurance. She had already secretly talked to Natsu to look after her and she told her younger sister to stay as much as possible at the guild.

"I've already shopped for groceries yesterday," Mira was telling Lisanna, who was sitting on the couch of their living room. "The fridge is fully-stocked and you'll have everything you want here. I also left some money just in case you want to eat at the guild."

"I have money, nee-san," Lisanna said with a pout. "And I can manage."

"I wanted to have someone accompany you here at the house," the older mage continued, seemingly not hearing the words of protest that her sister uttered. "I thought about Cana, but she's uh… not a really responsible roommate."

"You're scared that she's going to force me to drink?" Lisanna interrupted with amusement.

Mira nodded slightly before ranting once more, "And I asked Lucy, but she said that she was going on a mission with the Shadow Gear. Erza's not here and Juvia…"

The youngest Strauss noticed the pregnant pause. "How's Juvia?"

"She's… different."

"She was really hurt," Lisanna stated, her eyes forlorn. "And she's going on a mission with you, right?"

"Yeah," Mira replied.

"Who else are you with? You said it's a mission directly from master."

"Yeah," Mira repeated, not really willing to say that Laxus was also with them.

"Who else are you with?" Lisanna also repeated, a feeling of suspicion rising with her.

Mira turned around and started looking through the pantry, apparently trying to check out things that were still lacking. "Laxus," was all she said.

"L-Laxus-san?!" Lisanna gasped, almost falling over her seat.

Mira shot her sister an odd look. "What? Why?"

Lisanna recovered, her eyes wide. "It's just that you haven't been on a mission with him. You went on a mission with an S-class mage before and that's Erza and that's understandable since she's female, but Laxus-san?"

"Juvia's going to be there too, you know," Mira said gently, smiling.

"I know! But…"

"Laxus has really changed, Lisanna," Mira reprimanded her sister.

"I know that!" Lisanna said, blushing at her blunder. "It's just weird. What's the mission anyway?"

"I can't say. Master's orders," Mira replied.

Lisanna frowned. "I'm really worried, Mira-nee. This is a month-long mission and I don't even know what you're gonna do and where you're gonna go."

Mira's expression softened at that. She went to her sister's side and embraced her. "Don't worry, Lisanna. Can you actually picture us being defeated? I'm with Juvia and Laxus!"

"Well," Lisanna said, a small hint of relief crossing her features, "you have a point. But it still doesn't stop me from worrying."

"That's only natural," Mira declared. "I think I should be worried if you didn't."

"And anyway, Elf-nii's going to come back three days from now," Lisanna stated. "I can't wait for him to come back. I want to know if something went on between him and Ever."

Mira laughed at that. It was obvious that the two mages liked each other despite their spats. She'd want her little brother to settle down someday and establish his own family. She'd have cute little nieces and nephews who, hopefully, wouldn't look like the child she imagined back in Tenroujima.

"When are _you _going to find a love life, Mira-nee?" Lisanna suddenly asked, catching her older sister off-guard. "It's funny that Elf-nii's the one who's starting before you."

Mira rolled her beautiful, blue eyes. "Those are not the types of things that you rush. And don't be insulting! Elfman can get any girl that he sets his eyes on."

"I highly doubt that," Lisanna joked. "And why not? You're the most beautiful mage in Fiore!"

"No," Mira said. "Jenny is."

"Jenny is because you've been gone for seven years," Lisanna teased. "And when you arrived, you snatched the title right back."

Mira's eyebrows shot up. "Why are you so suddenly interested in my love life?"

Lisanna grinned from ear to ear. "I'm just interested. And you see, you'll be with Laxus-san for about a month. I think anything can happen."

Mira reddened. Her reputation of being a matchmaker was certainly creating a bad influence on her younger sister. It seemed that Lisanna was now taking it upon herself to create love lives for her and Elfman, although their brother didn't really need any of their help with the rate he was going.

_And Laxus?!_

She really didn't have anything against the Lightning Dragon Slayer. In fact, he was considered as one of the most desirable bachelor-mages around. Even though he wasn't listed at the Top 10 Mages You Want as Your Boyfriend, he was very desirable. The only reason why he wasn't included in that list was because he was very intimidating and powerful. He might have to hunt down and kill Jason the Reporter if he's ever included in that silly list. But without that odd title under his belt, many women wanted to go out with the rugged Laxus Dreyar.

But her? She didn't hold any romantic feelings or attraction for anyone. She was too busy looking after her siblings and the guild in general to care about her love life. Her personal life was centered in keeping the master himself in line and everybody else in good condition. She was the light of their guild, as many put it.

"You've really gone mad, Lisanna," Mira jested, earning a hurt pout from her sister.

The situation that she found herself in was really weird in so many levels. Master Makarov assigned her and Laxus to act as the parents of two children named Niklaus and Ellieanna. She could see the reasoning behind it. The kids did look like they could pass as their offspring. In fact, they look_ eerily _like their son and daughter, if they ever had any. There was also the matter of the reward. The money was enough to cover their guild's debts so naturally, Makarov would readily bite the bait.

She only concluded that the siblings were orphaned children of a very wealthy family who needed to keep them away for a while for the sake of people who might want to steal their money for themselves. It wasn't an uncommon situation and she and her siblings once escorted a duke's daughter across Magnolia and the dangerous forests beyond along with her dowry. This might be one of those things. She really wasn't one to pry for explanations. She just followed orders.

There was also the fact that she wanted to give a mother figure to those children. They must be really sad, as it was apparent by the way they readily jumped into the opportunity of having parents.

_How long have they been orphaned? And why?_

Then she was a bit anxious with the fact that she was going to have to pretend to be Laxus' wife. At the very least, they were going to a secluded town that didn't have a mage population at all. They were going to a place where the names Laxus Dreyar and Mirajane Strauss didn't mean anything. And she was going there with the name Mirajane Dreyar, Laxus' housewife.

That really brought out mixed reactions from her.

But it shouldn't affect her, really. This was all just pretend. They'd just have to act out whenever there were people around or if they had to go to town. Of course, the children had to lead normal lives like attend a local school or something like that. It was only for four weeks.

They also had Juvia with them, who would be living somewhere at the town. She was stationed to be on the lookout, blending in on the crowd and trying to sniff out potential threats. She was their primary defense. Mira trusted Juvia on this, knowing that the ameonna was a very formidable foe. She just didn't understand why she was the one chosen. Did Juvia volunteer to get away from Gray?

"You seem to be thinking about something really important," Lisanna said, watching her sister carefully.

"I'm sorry," Mira said. "I'm just thinking about the mission. Even I don't know the full details of it."

"Oh," was all that Lisanna muttered. "Well, see you after a month! I'm going to miss you!"

"Me too."

And with that, she hugged Lisanna before departing, a couple of trunks in tow.

* * *

"Where are you going?"

Gray Fullbuster was asking Juvia Loxar, who just came out from the Master's office with two children behind her. He shot the kids a suspicious stare, which earned him matching glares that startled him.

The glares were suspiciously familiar, like he had seen it on someone before. Not to mention that the boy and the girl looked like a mixture of people he also knew.

"Juvia is going on a mission," the blue-haired young woman replied, not bothering with her usual theatrics around Gray.

Gray raised his eyebrow at the cold reply. He knew that there was something definitely wrong with Juvia. She obviously didn't take his rejection well. But based on the number of times that he already rejected her, she should have been used to it by now and should have reverted back to her usual self. But now, that wasn't the case. She was different.

"Who're they?" he prodded, pointing at the two glaring children.

"Nobody," was all Juvia said. She was walking out of the guild, much to the surprise of the people who witnessed the interaction.

"Hey!" Gray yelled, running after Juvia's retreating back. He stopped right in front of her, holding her shoulders to prevent her from walking out. His expression suddenly gentled as he looked into her eyes. "I'm sorry about before. But I was only saying the truth."

Juvia gave him a small smile. It was sad and somehow, it made Gray inwardly squirm. He didn't want to see such an expression on Juvia's face. "It's alright," she replied. "Gray has nothing to be sorry for if that was the truth. Juvia will be moving on."

After that statement, Gray swore that the white-haired boy behind her was shaking his head in disappointment. The blonde-haired girl with him was stifling her laughter and it made him think that he may have been on the receiving end of some sort of private joke.

"Seeing them like this makes me feel weird," the girl whispered a little too loudly. Gray's sharp eyes moved to her. She merely shrugged and looked away, resuming with her silent giggling.

And with that, Juvia stepped out of the guild and into the bright sunny environment of Magnolia, the two children following her.

The three walked to the general direction of the train station, carrying their clothes and other necessities. Juvia also carried the allowance that the master gave them. She was tasked to give ¾ of the enormous amount of money to Laxus and Mira, who needed it to start out their little 'family'.

When they finally arrived at their destination, Laxus and Mira were already there. Laxus was sitting on a bench, his face painted with a proud smirk while Mira was seated as far away from him as possible, her face tinged with pink.

_Something must have gone wrong, _Juvia thought, hurriedly walking towards the S-class mages.

"Is something wrong?" Juvia inquired.

"Nothing," Mira replied a little too quickly. "I'm glad you're here."

"You're four minutes late," Laxus declared, standing to his full height and crossing his arms.

"I apologize," Juvia said. "We were stopped by someone."

"Yeah," Ellieanna suddenly spoke up. "That Gray was giving her a hard time again. Though in the end he's going to – "

She was silenced by Niklaus' sudden loud proclamation of, "You don't have to be impatient, Laxus-san. It's a bad way to treat your children."

Mira laughed as Laxus frowned. But the three Fairy Tail mages were able to catch what Ellie said. All of them were curious as to why this girl knew who Gray was when they hadn't even introduced them to anyone in the guild. They also wanted to know what Gray was going to do. They also didn't miss the fact that Ellie was prone to spilling something out without meaning to and that Nik was the one who covered up for her.

"Laxus-san," Juvia interjected, "Niklaus-kun has a point. You have to start acting like a father."

Mira stopped laughing and agreed. "That's true. Though we have to start boarding now before the train leaves us."

"Yay!" Ellie rejoiced, her hand pumping the air as she grabbed a surprised Mira's hand and dragged her towards the train.

"I think your sister's getting too into this," Laxus observed.

"Too much so, in fact," Nik deadpanned.

Laxus stared incredulously at the boy. He was certainly mature for his age. There was also something constantly bothering his mind. The dragon slayer realized that the boy was merely on tenterhooks trying to look after his very vocal and clumsy twin. But he recognized something in Nik – something very similar to who he was after he lost his father when Ivan was banished.

"You alright, kid?" he blurted out. "You should really try removing that stick up your ass. No son of mine is going to be _that _gloomy."

At that statement, Laxus swore he saw a grin flash across Niklaus' features. But in the next instant, it was gone and replaced with a mutinous expression as they boarded the train.

Niklaus hurried behind his mother, sister, and Juvia. The statement from his father caught him off guard. He swore never to show too much emotion during this trip. He promised to his great-grandfather and to his parents from the future that he won't give himself away. Time was too much of a fragile thing to be meddled with. If he or Ellie let slip anything that would happen in the future, it could affect everything drastically.

That was what prevented him from enjoying the fact that he was at the place and the time that everything was brighter. He prevented himself from appreciating the Fairy Tail under his great-grandfather's time. Of course, the guild was still a fun place under his father, but still, he wanted to know what inspired the great Laxus Dreyar to continue the tradition. He wanted to know when it all started.

The fact that he couldn't show how he felt towards everything was taking a bit of its toll on him.

"Nik."

His mother's voice jolted him out of his thoughts. The five of them were now standing outside a compartment which, apparently, his dad was bragging about reserving. Without being aware of himself, he suddenly felt an urge to hug his mother. Despite his aloof attitude, he was his mother's son. Her warmth and assurance was always there to guide him through anything. And now, he didn't even know if she and his father were safe.

That was what worried him the most.

"Yes?" he responded, carefully ignoring the fact that his sister was staring at him sadly.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes."

"Well, now that's settled," Laxus interrupted, feeling a bit awkward. "Time to get inside."

The trip was uneventful and mostly silent. They talked mostly about their arrangements. It was decided that Laxus would pretend to be a woodcutter, since that would be a viable reason behind them living deep in the forest. Mirajane would be a herbalist, at the same time, try to be a stay-at-home mom to look after the kids. Juvia would be minding her own business and reporting to them from time to time. They would still be retaining their names, with the exception of course of the mother and her children getting Laxus' surname, which made the dragon slayer look out the window with discomfort. At the very least, they didn't have to introduce themselves to anyone if they can help it. It was the perfect plan.

"So, you guys," Laxus said when they were an hour and a half into the trip, "what exactly are your powers?"

This was one of the questions that Mira wanted to know herself. However, she figured that the master didn't want them to know about it but he didn't say anything against it either. So it may be alright to ask.

"Yes," Mira added. "Is it alright if we know?"

Juvia shifted in her seat. She was the only one from the guild who knew the truth about the identity of the children. She was asked not to reveal anything and she was certain that the kids were also taught so. But what the master didn't really prohibit anything for the S-class mages. They were free to ask anything and it was now up to the kids if they wanted to keep silent or not.

Ellie and Nik were looking at each other, unsure of what to say.

"Listen you two," Laxus said, leaning towards them, "we're not stupid. Mira and I are S-class mages for a reason. We're here to protect you and we know better than to pry. But we at least have to know what we're dealing with. We have to know if you can also protect yourself because from what I saw back then, you sure as hell have a lot of magical power."

At his statement, Ellie's eyes were widening like saucers. She was her father's daughter after all. She wanted to know if she could tell the two of them. She was never one to lie about her abilities to her parents. She may be a trickster, but not about these things.

She sent a pleading look towards Nik, who was stock still. She knew that her brother was someone who was not so easily convinced. He was the critical thinker between the two of them. He was the one who protected her with all of his abilities. He always tried too much and he always wanted to do his best.

Nik slowly shook his head. "How do we know that you're not after our powers too?"

Asking that was something that hurt him, something that he regretted. But he needed to do something so that they would get off their backs. He was doing this to protect all of them and they just didn't know it.

His response earned a gasp from Juvia, a sad look from Mira, and an angry frown from Laxus.

"Ungrateful brat," he spat, his teeth gritted. "We're here to protect you and you can be damned sure that whatever power you have, I wouldn't want them."

After saying that, the dragon slayer remained silent for the entire ride. Mira, on the other hand, quickly recovered from her crestfallen expression and smiled sweetly at Niklaus.

"I'm sorry for that," she said. "We were just curious. And I think Master told you not to tell us, huh?"

Nik nodded mutely, a bit scared at being the subject of the full force of his father's annoyance. Laxus was always gruffly gentle with his children and Nik had seen him angry. This was one of the instances when the blonde mage was mad and Niklaus, his unknown son, incited it.

"Well good going, baka," Ellie mumbled to his ear.

"Shut up," he retorted.

"Why don't _you _shut up?" Ellie ground out.

"If you keep arguing, you might end up showing us your powers," Mira warned.

Juvia watched the interaction with interested eyes. She really felt like she was an intruder in this mission – a fifth wheel of some sort. Well, she always felt like she was unwanted. But then again, pushing all insecurities aside, it was fun watching and knowing that this was Laxus and Mira's family. It still left her astonished that the two powerful mages would eventually marry each other and have children. If this left her flabbergasted, imagine the reactions of this two when they find out that Niklaus and Ellieanna were their children from the future. That's why it was probably for the best that Nik had fended off the questions.

But it seemed that it was also against the boy's will that he had to resort to such methods in doing so.

They knew the trip was going to take overnight, given how vast the country was and how far their destination was. They all settled down in their bunks which was part of their massive compartment. However, there was a slight predicament.

There were only four beds. Naturally, Juvia would take one. Now, there was the issue of where exactly each one of the remaining passengers would rest.

"Tch," Laxus said. "I never knew that they would take everything literally."

"What do you mean?" Mira asked, puzzled.

"Well, to make things less suspicious, I placed tickets for family class and a nanny," Laxus answered, smirking at a miffed Juvia. "So with this huge ass bunk over here, they probably think that me and my wife sleep together and they gave these tiny elf beds for the brats."

"Stop calling us brats," Niklaus countered.

"Yeah, yeah, stop being so sensitive, boy," Laxus said. He really had no idea why this kid had a stick so far up his ass. He wasn't someone who was very patient with children nor did he want to pretend to just because they were being paid a huge sum of money.

Mira was observing the squabbling pair, trying to remove her thoughts from the fact that she might have to sleep beside Laxus. Although, she realized that she had to get used to it because they would be living together. She just hoped fervently that they had separate bedrooms in the cottage.

After a few minutes of trying to move about the compartment as if this would change the inevitable, they finally settled down to varying degrees of comfortable sleep.

* * *

The next day when they arrived at their 'house' late in the afternoon, luck was not on Mirajane's side.

They finally reached the place with the help of Reedus' magically drawn map which pointed them to the right direction. Laxus wondered out loud how Fairy Tail had a cottage like this. It wasn't like anyone needed it and it wasn't like anyone would want to live here.

The house was beautiful and cozy. There was a fence around it with a considerable patch of land which could definitely be used for gardening. The house was made of stone and the roof was painted red. The wooden door opened with the lock that was given to them and inside was a comfortable couch and table facing a brick fire. When they stepped inside, the house was in order as if it was prepared for them. The dining area was joined to a quaint kitchen.

And to Mirajane's shock, there were only two bedrooms.

They first went into the twins' room. There were two beds with plain sheets, already arranged and clean. There was a toy box and a few decorative choices that made the place fit for children.

"Finally!" Ellie sighed as she claimed the bed nearest the window.

Nik groaned. "I want to sleep there."

"And why?" Ellie challenged, glaring at her twin. "I was the one who got here first."

"You never let me get anything I want," Nik stated, his arms crossed in front of his chest. This was one of those moments that Ellie felt a hint of guilt creep within her. Her brother was right. He always defended her and protected her. With a huff, she jumped off the bed and went to the other side of the room, sitting grumpily on the other one.

Laxus smirked at the children's antics. They really argue a lot but in the end, one of them would give way. Mostly it was Niklaus. Now he understood just a little bit why the kid was grumpy all the time. Having someone as exuberant and spoiled as Ellie on your back 24/7 was something that could make anyone pissed.

But it was obvious that they still loved each other.

He then looked down to his left. Mira was standing there, a frown across her lips. It was as if she was having an internal debate on a certain subject. He didn't have to wonder what that was.

His smirked went wider as he suddenly put his arm around Mira's small waist and led him out of the twins' room. She squeaked and blushed as he opened the door to their bedroom.

The entire area was just right. There was a huge double bed at the center with a closet just across it. There was a table on either side with a lamp on the other. It was homely and definitely something that you could find in an everyday household.

But not something that Mirajane would ever experience in her everyday life.

"No need to be shy, honey," Laxus teased, urging her forward as he flopped down the bed, arms cradling the back of his head. He looked very relaxed as he grinned mischievously up at her. "Since we're married, we have to get used to each other at some point in time."

"B-but," Mirajane spluttered, "I don't think that would be necessary, Laxus. I mean, we're going to pretend to be married for images' sake. It's not like we have other people here looking into us."

Laxus' smirk never removed itself from his face. "If we're going to make it believable, we have to be _used to each other's company. _And we're not going to stay holed up here forever. The kids have to go to school, you have to sell your little herbs and I have to go to work."

Mira sighed. The man had a point. "But no one's going to peek into our room," she justified lamely.

Laxus rolled his eyes and scowled. "I'm not going to rape you in your sleep, woman. And if it bothers you that much, I'll take the couch."

He stood up and went out of the house without a backwards glance. He was a fool to even think that Mira believed in him and his metamorphosis. His temper was already near boiling point the moment he was assigned with this crappy mission, saddled with difficult children. He found himself out of the house and into the woods in a small amount of time.

Juvia's surprised gaze followed the thunderous Laxus who passed her by in the living room. A few seconds later, Mira appeared from the room, her face downtrodden.

"What happened, Mira-san?" she asked.

"It's nothing," Mira replied, smiling slightly. "Just a little misunderstanding. The kids still in their room?"

Juvia nodded. "Juvia needs to go. She still has to find her new quarters."

"Are you sure you're okay being alone, Juvia?" Mira asked, concern in her voice.

"Juvia will be fine, Mira-san. Besides, she needs some time alone."

The white-haired mage understood. It really seemed like Juvia took this mission to get away from Gray for some time. God knows how much she needed it. She may be trying to get over the Ice-make wizard but secretly, Mira wished that she fight for the man's affections. Gray may not have noticed it yet, but he cared for Juvia more than he let on.

"Be careful," she said as Juvia walked out of the door.

"Thank you, Mira-san," Juvia responded. "Please tell Ellie-chan and Nik-kun to take care. Juvia will check and fortify the protective barriers around the place and she will report tomorrow."

"Join us for dinner!" she called after the water mage.

"No thanks. Juvia thinks she will go sight-seeing and eat local cuisine."

Mira smiled at that. "I think I'm gonna ask Laxus and the children to do that some time too. Thanks again, Juvia. Take care of yourself."

"Juvia will."

When the door closed, Ellie and Nik went out of their room and towards Mira.

"Where's Aunt Juvia?" Ellie asked.

"She had to go find her place," Mira replied.

"Where's Dad?" the girl continued.

Someone calling Laxus 'Dad' was definitely surprising to anyone who could hear. Mira smiled faintly, "He's gone out."

"Did you guys fight?" Nik inquired, his sharp gaze that looked so much like Laxus' pierced through Mira.

Mira laughed. "What makes you say that?"

"Nothing," he responded. "Based from experience, couples who get into fights often ends up with one of them walking out."

"How do you know, Nik? Have you ever been in a relationship?" Mira teased, giggling slightly. Her mirth was joined by Ellie's.

"No," the boy said, glowering at his laughing sister. What he actually meant to say was that based on what he knew from his parents, Laxus often walked out of their house whenever he and Mirajane had bad arguments. But that occurrence was rare. Their parents seldom ever fought with each other.

"Hai, hai," Mira said, letting it go.

"Actually," Ellie suddenly piped in, "Nik has a crush on someone. It's Geraldine. She's Uncle Je – "

"Will you _shut it?!_" Nik growled at his sister and left the two females standing in the living room.

"What - ?" Mira started to say but was stopped by Ellie's laughter.

"Don't worry, mom," she assured the older woman. "He's always the one who walks out whenever we fight."

_Doesn't that sound familiar?_

* * *

**I know this is pretty short, but it's in preparation for the next chapter. It's gonna be filled with MiraXus' electric tension. ;) **


End file.
